Neil Patrick Harris says 'Smurfs 2' helps redefine 'family'

Neil Patrick Harris spoke to
Zap2it on the blue carpet at
"The Smurfs 2" premiere in Los Angeles Sunday (July 28), and discussed an unexpected theme for the live action-animation hybrid sequel: the ever-evolving definition of "family" in modern society.

"I think it's a pretty heady topic to deal with what defines a family in a movie like this," Harris says. "I don't think people will be expecting that necessarily. And it's done in a really normal, organic way." In the sequel to Sony's 2011 "The Smurfs," Smurfette (
Katy Perry) is kidnapped by the evil Gargamel in the hopes she'll help him create a legion of Smurf-wannabes called The Naughties.

"It's Smurfette's origin story," Harris points out. "She was created by Gargamel in the history of The Smurfs, and then The Smurfs took her over. So I think she's conflicted about what her family really means -- is it The Smurfs, who love her? Or is it Gargamel, who created her? My character has a similar situation with his stepdad and his real dad. And so, I think those are good conversations to have with the family afterwards. There's a lot of definitions of 'family' now."

Harris brought his longtime partner, actor
David Burtka, and their two children to the "Smurfs 2" premiere. He has previously said raising two kids with Burtka
makes marriage "inevitable" for them.

Next up for Harris is the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, which he will host on Sept. 22. As for how he plans to top his
spectacular opening number at June's Tony Awards, Harris says, "I have no plan on topping or comparing at all. It'll be a totally different show." We can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve.